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Saturday, June 11, 2011

Michael Pineda - Get to know him

UPDATE (6/11): Well Pineda had a rough outing for the first time in his rookie season on Saturday night against the Tigers. The Tigers beat the Mariners 8-1, and Pineda lasted 5.1 IP allowing 8 hits, 6 runs while walking 1 and striking out 4. Pineda is now 6-4 on the year with a 2.72 ERA and is winless in his last 4 starts. The Mariners in each of Pineda's last 3 starts have provided him with 3 total runs, 1 in each game. He's pitched well enough to have won his two previous starts as he allowed 3 runs in those 2 starts as the Mariners lost 3-1 and 2-1 in those games.

UPDATE(6/8): Just one win in his last four starts, Pineda is still the clear favorite to win rookie of the year. He has still yet to allow 5 runs in a game, and only once allowed 4! Since we last checked in on Prince Pineda, he has thrown 19 innings and allowed 6 earned runs, while striking out 15. He did have a poor outing against the Yankees(for his standards) allowing 5 walks in just 5 innings pitched, but his team did win the game and that's all that matters as a Stater, you go out there to give your team a chance to win the game. Pineda has done that all season long as the Mariners at 7-5 in his 12 starts. If Pineda pitched for a team that provided any type of run support, he might be 12-0! According to ESPN, his Run Support Average is 4.89, good for 94th!UPDATE (5/22): Same old story here. Another brilliant outing for Pineda, this time against the Padres going 7 shutout innings allowing 2 hits, a walk, 0 runs and striking out 9. In his last two starts he has gone 14 innings only allowing 5 hits, 1 walk, 0 runs and struck out 16, winning both.UPDATE (5/17): Another great performance by Pineda against the struggling Twins going 7 innings giving up 3 hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out 7, picking up his 5th win of the season and lowering his ERA to 2.45

UPDATE (4/29): Pineda has now won 4 straight starts, after beating the Tigers Thursday night. The Mariners won the game 7-2, and Pineda was brilliant once again, going 6 innings giving up 4 hits and 2 runs while striking out 9. The big rookie has now improved to 4-1 on the season with a 2.01 ERA. Pineda and Felix Hernandez have combined for 7 out of the Mariners 11 wins on the season.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Michael Pineda has been flying under the radar so far this season and I'm not sure why. Most people have never heard of this guy..or kid since he's only 22 years old, but Pineda is a big 6'7 260 pound right hander who throws a 98 mph fastball and a nasty slider. Pineda wasn't orginally in the Mariners plans to be in the starting rotation but when Nate Robertson got injured in spring training, it was Pineda's chance to prove he's major league ready.

So far in 4 starts this year, Pineda is 3-1 with a 1.78 era while striking out 21 and walking only 9 in 25.1 innings. He lost his 1st career start but has won his last 3 since, and has gotten better each time out. Wow, if the Mariners can hold onto Felix Hernandez, and Bedard and Morrow can stay healthy, add Pineda to the mix and the Mariners can have the most dominant rotation in baseball for years to come.